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Ask HN: My manager suggested me to start taking Ritalin

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Re: Ask HN: My manager suggested me to start taking Ritalin

#41

Post by runawaybottle »

edoceo wrote: post #30
runawaybottle wrote: post #15

That stuff is highly addictive. Honest to god, if he suggested it, most likely he takes it too. Get out of there, his expectations are based around people abusing speed, which means he basically expects some unhealthy output. Remember kids, all drugs work, until they don’t. You can always take more I guess.

If you find yourself needing to take more, please talk to your health professional. Help is available.

‘Hey doc, so this pill that I thought was a good idea, turns out it doesn’t work anymore. I think I need more , because I’m totally dependent on it for my career.’

This conversation happens in reality all the time, for millions of adults that take it for their work.

Re: Ask HN: My manager suggested me to start taking Ritalin

#43

Post by artemisyna »

Note it down, bring it up to HR/your manager's manager.

Best case scenario, your manager is well-intentioned but is misinformed (or under-informed) about what is/isn't okay to say. Mild kerfuffle, not a big deal.

Worst case scenario, your manager is outright crap and the personnel around them is equally bad. (Aka the "you should really think about moving companies now" scenario.)

In either case, escalating is the way to resolve things.

Re: Ask HN: My manager suggested me to start taking Ritalin

#44

Post by JohnFen »

smoyer wrote: post #3

Was (s)he a body hacker? I've seen people also experiment with nootropics in an aim to improve their output. The fact that it was a boss in a 1:1 is a bit weird but ... what if it had simply been a coworker telling you what worked for them?

> what if it had simply been a coworker telling you what worked for them?

That would be entirely different for two reasons. First, a coworker is not in a position of power over you. Second, there's a world of difference between saying "this was effective for me" and saying "you should do this."

Re: Ask HN: My manager suggested me to start taking Ritalin

#45

Post by steven_noble »

Clearly unethical. Take written notes. Join your union.

But a few side points:

- ADHD is an actual condition that can cause lack of focus and/or hyperfocus

- there are plenty of other reasons why a person can exhibit lack of focus and/or hyperfocus

- in people with ADHD, stimulants are often very effective, but dosage and side-effects need careful medical management

- in people without ADHD, stimulants often make them feel like they are more focused that ever before, but blind studies have shown that their actual focus is not truly affected

Re: Ask HN: My manager suggested me to start taking Ritalin

#46

Post by FillardMillmore »

I definitely don't think this is legal (disclaimer though: I am not a lawyer), unless your manager is also a MD, but even then, I don't think it's legal unless he's acting in that capacity.

If, as you note, you are no longer working there, I wouldn't worry yourself too much about it unless you think that you do have focus issues. If that's the case, I would try correcting the problem in non-medical ways first. There's a number of things you can try - keep a tidy workspace, listen to soothing music if possible, try meditation, keep a low sugar diet, etc. If you feel that you've expended your options, consult your doctor.

Re: Ask HN: My manager suggested me to start taking Ritalin

#47

Post by russellbeattie »

You can assume the worst and think your manager just wants you to work harder and longer while hopped up on amphetemines, or you can take it as not-particulary friendly advice to get yourself diagnosed for attention issues.

The best part of being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and starting medication was my ability to sit quietly with my then 3 year old son and play blocks for longer than 10 minute stretches. Previously that was impossible. My diagnosis was a life-changing discovery that improved how I lived in a variety of contexts, both at home and at work.

Maybe your manager sees what he thinks your inability to focus as a real issue, and is, in a clumsy, intrusive way, suggesting you take it seriously. Or he's just an asshole and is trying to get more work out of you. That's for you to figure out.

Re: Ask HN: My manager suggested me to start taking Ritalin

#48

Post by runawaybottle »

steven_noble wrote: post #45

Clearly unethical. Take written notes. Join your union. But a few side points: - ADHD is an actual condition that can cause lack of focus and/or hyperfocus - there are plenty of other reasons why a person can exhibit lack of focus and/or hyperfocus - in people with ADHD, stimulants are often very effective, but dosage and side-effects need careful medical management - in people without ADHD, stimulants often make the…

Can you link anything that backs up your last bullet point?

Re: Ask HN: My manager suggested me to start taking Ritalin

#49

Post by steven_noble »

runawaybottle wrote: post #48
steven_noble wrote: post #45

Clearly unethical. Take written notes. Join your union. But a few side points: - ADHD is an actual condition that can cause lack of focus and/or hyperfocus - there are plenty of other reasons why a person can exhibit lack of focus and/or hyperfocus - in people with ADHD, stimulants are often very effective, but dosage and side-effects need careful medical management - in people without ADHD, stimulants often make the…

Can you link anything that backs up your last bullet point?

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3489818/#__sec7...

Re: Ask HN: My manager suggested me to start taking Ritalin

#50

Post by eindiran »

steven_noble wrote: post #49
runawaybottle wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you link anything that backs up your last bullet point?

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3489818/#__sec7...

I don't see anything that backs up the claim you made in that paper. The closest thing I see:

"Stimulant drugs do improve the ability (even without ADHD) to focus and pay attention. One function, which is reliably improved by stimulant medications, is sustained attention, or vigilance. Stimulants improve sustained, focused attention, but “selective attention” and “distractibility” may be worsened, possibly because of a drug induced increase in impulsivity."

And that seems to contradict your point.

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